UPSC Mains
GS Paper 3 — Security
Maritime Strategy
India’s Maritime Strategy
Why in News: Iran’s threat to shut the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, alongside an active Houthi maritime embargo, has put a third of India’s trade at risk and revived calls for India to lead Red Sea security
Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Carries ⅓ of India’s Trade
P&I Insurance
90%+ Shipping via 12 Clubs
Houthi Embargo
Announced July 20 on Saudi Ships
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India’s Maritime Strategy: Context and Background
Iran instructed Houthis to close the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb if the US attacked Iran’s power plants. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, carries one-third of India’s entire trade. The crisis follows the Strait of Hormuz closure, which has already severely impacted India’s energy security.
- UNSC Resolution 2722 (January 2024) mandated freedom of navigation, but implementation remained weak.
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Significance of Maritime Security for India
- India’s IFC-IOR (Information Fusion Centre — Indian Ocean Region) provides critical maritime domain awareness.
- India’s SAGAR vision (Security and Growth for All in the Region) frames its maritime leadership ambitions.
- Indian seafarers face direct welfare and safety risks in contested maritime corridors.
90%+ / 12 Clubs
World shipping insured by just 12 Protection and Indemnity clubs, making insurance risk highly consequential
25% Lost
Share of Suez Canal revenue lost by Egypt, showing the economic stakes of maritime insecurity
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Challenges in Maritime Security for India
Divided UNSC
The UNSC is more divided than ever, making collective action through UN mechanisms increasingly unlikely.
China’s Unilateralism
China protects its shipping through quid pro quos with Houthis rather than multilateral action.
Shifting Diplomatic Channels
India previously leaned directly on Tehran to stop Houthi attacks on India-bound ships — those diplomatic channels have changed.
Regional Reluctance
Egypt and Saudi Arabia refused to join the 2024 anti-Houthi alliance, citing their positions on Gaza.
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Extending the ban on Indian mariners to Bab el-Mandeb would adversely affect thousands of Indian seafarers’ livelihoods. India’s economy is already stressed from the Hormuz crisis — a simultaneous Bab el-Mandeb closure would be catastrophic.
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Way Forward: India’s Maritime Leadership
Naval Taskforce
India must proactively build a France-Japan-India naval taskforce to deter attacks in Bab el-Mandeb.
Theatre-Specific Approach
This would be a “Trade Protection Task Force” — theatre-specific and rules-based, not a strategic alliance.
IFC-IOR Integration
India’s Information Fusion Centre must provide real-time maritime domain awareness for the taskforce.
France and Japan Bases
Both maintain bases in Djibouti, offering critical on-ground logistical support for joint operations.
Engage Egypt and Saudi Arabia
With their own shipping now threatened, both nations may be ready to join Red Sea security efforts.
Respond to the Houthi Embargo
On July 20, Houthis announced a maritime embargo on Saudi ships through Bab el-Mandeb — India must respond urgently.
Commercial Vessel Escorts
The taskforce must provide security escorts for commercial vessels transiting the Strait toward Europe, India and Japan.
SAGAR Demonstration
This initiative would serve as a lasting demonstration of India’s resolve to ensure respect for maritime rules and norms.
